What Can You Do About Radio Frequency Tracking?

There are Many Things You can do About Radio Frequency Tracking

The most important thing to remember is that RFID technology is an amazing aid to business and consumers alike. It has made our lives so much easier in so many ways that it’s hard to imagine life without them. Having said that, it has without doubt, created some considerable risks to our privacy and safety.

Because of this risk, you need to be vigilant about the use and availability of RFID devices and other RFID items in your life. You need to know what you are carrying or using that is embedded with radio frequency identification information about you, is key to being able to protect that data and manage your personal security.

If you are concerned about possibility of theft, you may wish to limit the amount of RFID technology that you have in your life. However, you need to be aware that you may be presented with situations that are moving towards the use of RFID technologies (bridge and road tolls, or passports) and that you may not be able to avoid them entirely without making major changes to your behavior or giving up personal freedoms.

Protecting Passports

You can adopt methods to manage and control the RFID devices that are in your life. Protect passports when you are traveling. Keep the bridge toll fast pass in a shielding pouch in the glove box of the car when it’s not in use. Reduce the number of credit cards you have and shield the one’s you keep with you in an appropriately shielded wallet or purse.

Then, if you want to go “all out” there are a couple of technologies you can consider. You can get an RFID shielding paint that will block cell phone and other signals. It’s pricey but if you want a quiet family dinner without anyone’s cell phone interrupting, it’s a thought for when you redo the dining room decor. There is also a Wi-Fi/signal-blocking wallpaper that has been developed which can work to contain or block electromagnetic signals. This may seem to be an over reaction, but it demonstrates that there are ways to protect yourself from being tracked by RFID devices.

How to Secure and Protect an RFID Enabled Passport?

Many countries including the US, Canada, UK, Australia and the European Union now issue biometric passports that contain an RFID chip.

While this technology can help authenticate passports, reduce counterfeiting and speed up immigration clearance processing, it’s also made it possible for electronic thieves to ‘skim’ the information from your passport by scanning it using a simple RFID reader.

One simple way to stop your passport from being scanned without your knowledge is to be aware of your surroundings when opening your passport. While that isn’t always possible, especially in extremely busy and crowded places, don’t leave your passport exposed for any longer than you need to. Crowded places are the perfect cover for unscrupulous data thieves.

RFID Blocking Materials

Another way to keep your biometric passport secure is to store it in a passport wallet with RFID blocking materials. These RFID blocking materials are specially manufactured fabrics made from fine fibers of aluminum, copper, silver, stainless steel and other such conductive materials. Continue reading for more information about the availability of products containing these conductive materials.

Upcoming Article:
Look out for our next article in this series – “What is RFID Skimming?” You will find it informative and fascinating reading.

 

If you’re concerned about protecting your Passports from RFID scammers this product will provide that protection!

 

 

Image: Visualizing the Invisible RF field by Philippe Teuwen